Resume Formatting
How to Write an ATS-Friendly Resume
A step-by-step guide to formatting your resume so it passes ATS (Applicant Tracking System) filters—software used by 90% of employers to screen candidates before a human ever sees your application.
Why ATS-Friendly Formatting Matters
You could have the perfect experience and skills, but if your resume is formatted incorrectly, the ATS won't be able to read it. This results in your information being scrambled, missing, or your resume being rejected outright.
Real example: A candidate used a two-column layout with graphics. The ATS merged both columns into one line, making their experience read as gibberish. Their 10 years of experience was parsed as "10 years Marketing Manager Sales Director."
The Correct ATS Resume Format
1. Use a Single-Column Layout
ATS reads from top to bottom, left to right. Multi-column layouts cause text to merge or appear out of order. Stick to a simple, single-column design.
✗ Avoid
Two-column layouts, sidebars, text boxes
✓ Use
Single column, clear sections, linear flow
2. Standard Section Headings
ATS looks for specific section headers to categorize your information. Use conventional names.
✓ Recommended Headings
- • Summary or Professional Summary
- • Experience or Work Experience
- • Education
- • Skills
- • Certifications
✗ Avoid
- • "My Journey"
- • "What I Bring to the Table"
- • "Where I've Been"
- • "Superpowers"
3. Simple, Standard Fonts
Decorative fonts may not render correctly. Stick to universally supported fonts.
Best fonts: Arial, Calibri, Georgia, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Verdana
Font size: 10-12pt for body text, 14-16pt for section headings
4. No Graphics, Icons, or Images
ATS cannot read images. This includes:
- • Profile photos
- • Skill bar charts or progress indicators
- • Icons for contact info (phone icon, email icon)
- • Logos of companies you've worked for
- • Decorative borders or lines made from images
5. Standard Date Formats
ATS parses dates to understand your career timeline. Use consistent, recognizable formats.
Recommended: "Jan 2020 - Present" or "01/2020 - Present" or "2020 - Present"
6. Simple Bullet Points
Use standard bullet characters. Special symbols may not parse correctly.
Use: Standard bullets (•) or hyphens (-)
Avoid: Arrows (→), checkmarks (✓), stars (★), or custom symbols
7. Save as .docx or Plain PDF
Most ATS work best with .docx files. If you use PDF, ensure it's text-based (not scanned).
Test your PDF: Open it and try to select/copy text. If you can't select text, it's an image-based PDF and won't parse.
ATS-Friendly Resume Checklist
How Landera Ensures ATS Compliance
Every resume generated by Landera automatically follows industry ATS standards. Here's how we ensure your resume passes:
| ATS Requirement | Landera |
|---|---|
| Single-column layout (no multi-column designs) | ✓ |
| Standard section headers (Experience, Education, Skills) | ✓ |
| ATS-safe fonts (Calibri, Arial) | ✓ |
| No tables, text boxes, or graphics | ✓ |
| No headers or footers | ✓ |
| Consistent date formatting (Month YYYY) | ✓ |
| Standard bullet points (no custom symbols) | ✓ |
| Text-based PDF output (machine-readable) | ✓ |
| Keyword optimization from job description | ✓ |
| Plain text only (no markdown or special formatting) | ✓ |
Landera automatically applies all 10 ATS requirements to every resume we generate.
Check Your Resume's ATS Compatibility
Upload your resume and we'll analyze its ATS compatibility, identify formatting issues, and show you how to fix them.